Drift Away
by StoryReader888
Summary: Jay somehow finds herself in the past with the first generation Vongola. Will she ever be able to return to her own era? And what happens when she begins to develop feelings for the kind Primo? OCxGiotto
1. Mystery 1

**Author Notes: **The first chapter is kind of short. I'll definately work on making the next chapters longer. My goal is atleast 1500 words. I hope you all enjoy the story :) I also want to point out, that I used Yahoo! Babel Fish to translate the Italian, so it may be wrong. Forgive me for that.

**Warnings:** This story features an OC (Original Character). The story is written in first person point of view, and harbors quite a bit of cussing.

**Chapter 1 ▬ Abyss ✖ Meeting ✖ Shock **

It was dark. Pitch black with no source of light. There was no sound, like the world had been put on mute. A black abyss of the mind and heart. I tried calling out, only to find that I had lost my voice. My eyes refused to adjust to the darkness surrounding me, and my body felt as if it was floating in a black hole. It seemed like I was blind folded and my ears had been plugged.

_What the hell?_

With a groan, my purple orbs slowly opened, moving in and out of focus. The darkness began to fade and sound slowly reached my ears. Sitting up, my eyes blinked rapidly to adjust to the bright sun that was beaming down on my body. The heat seeped through my hoodie, and the scorching pavement I sat on seeped through my jeans.

After my eyes finally adjusted, I stood up and took in my surroundings.

A cobblestone path was what lay beneath me. The street was alive with the chatter of passing people. I wasn't sure if it was me, or just my mind being on overdrive, but I couldn't understand a single word that left their mouth, like it was a foreign language. Everything was laid out in a sepia tone, like in old movies, from the buildings to the sky, the ground and trees and even the people. This made me blink rapidly and rub my eyes with the palm of my hand. Slowly, the sepia tone began to fade just as the darkness had, and the color returned. I summed this up to my aching head.

This was no Namimori.

Where was I? And more importantly, how the hell'd I get here?

I pulled my self to my feet, feeling like a ghost. Not a single person looked in my direction. I expected some glares at the way I was dressed, so differently from them. But I didn't even get that, it was like I wasn't even there. Did they ignore me because of the way I was dressed? Or could they _really_ not see me?

Shaking my head, I took off walking. I had no clue where I was going, but anything was better than just standing there like a moron. The headache I had was finally beginning to fade, reducing from the stabbing pain to a lighter, numbing pain. I let my feet guide me, pulling me away from the crowded street and into a dark and deserted alley way. I needed to gather my thoughts and figure out what was going on. And in order to do that, I needed some place quiet where I could be alone. The alley was the perfect place.

I didn't know how long I had walked for, but I was brought roughly from my swirling thoughts by a loud screaming which was aimed towards myself.

"Hey! Voi!" A black clad man appeared before me, grabbing tightly onto my arm.

"Dove lo pensate state andando?" Another black clad man appeared behind me, gripping my other arm.

"State venendo con noi." They chorused.

So much for being alone. And what the hell were they saying? I didn't even know what language that was! I glared at the two men before reaching my foot up and kicking the first male in the back. He let out a grunt of pain, his hand releasing my arm. I then bent down, slamming my elbow into the second male's stomach. He also released me and I turned around to run off.

Before I had the chance, the now recovered male number one regrabbed my arm, twisting it behind my back and holding a gun to the side of my head. The second male grabbed my free arm and did the same as the first before binding my wrists tightly. If it didn't bruise, I'd be thoroughly surprised.

My suspicions of the two men who dragged me roughly through several different alley ways was that they were Mafioso. Either that, or they were men in black and thought _I _was an alien (which wouldn't surprise me, considering how out of place I was). The latter seemed alot less likely, though.

My suspicions were proven correct when they dragged me into a large mansion like building, whose halls were filled with black clad men and women. Option three just made itself known in my head. Maybe they were part of some cult, and used magic to summon me.

The two men roughly dragged me through the winding halls of the three story home until we reached a set of large dark oak doors. Man number one knocked, waiting for the _come in_ before entering.

The man who sat behind the desk looked up as we entered the room, me being pushed to stand a foot or so from said desk. Man number two didn't miss the scowl and glare I sent him, causing his grip on my arm to tighten to a painful degree. The man behind the desk had golden blonde hair which had been spiked, while his soft orbs were a mix of red and orange. His blonde locks fell into his face, but the strict expression wasn't blocked.

"Boss. We found this suspicious looking girl snooping around." Man number one announced, his grip tightening to the same degree as his partner.

Oh, _now_ he chose to speak english. Wait... what!

"I was not _snooping around_, you bastard!" I growled in response, glaring at the man on my left.

"Quiet." he hissed, glaring at me through his black sunglasses.

"Che. Don't tell me what to do, baldy. And who the fuck wears sunglasses in doors?"

"Why, you - !"

"I see." the man behind the desk cut the bald man off, his elbows on the desk and his hands folded to cover his mouth, "You can both leave. I'd like to speak to our guest alone." The blonde's voice was soft, but the demand was easily detected. His deep voice flowed like silk, and the deep accent was clear when he spoke.

_He looks so familiar, I feel like I should know who this man is. Damn, Reborn was right. I really don't pay enough attention to things,_ I scowled at the carpet below me. His accent was familiar as well, but I just couldn't place it.

"But Boss - !" Man number two tried to protest, but quickly shut his mouth when the 'boss' held his hand up, a clear sign that his mind would not change; it was not up for discussion.

With reluctance, and a few dirty glares aimed at me, the two untied my wrists and left the office. Before the door closed, I managed to catch the crest on their suit jackets. My eyes widened slightly in shock.

_That's the Vongola crest... They called this man the boss but... he's not the Ninth._

My gaze returned to the blonde before me, narrowed in confusion and suspicion.

"My name is Giotto." he introduced softly, watching my expression change from confusion to disbelief and shock. As soon as I heard his name, an image of said blonde appeared in my mind, and I finally remembered who he was.

"Giotto..." _what the __hell?_ "Vongola Primo?"

"You've heard of me?" he questioned, his eyes shining with traces of curiousity and confusion. He didn't understand how a (seemingly) normal girl could know about the mafia, about the Vongola family, and about himself, the leader of one of the strongest mafia families in Italy. Maybe even the strongest. That much was obvious from his expression.

"This isn't happening..." I muttered, backing away slowly, "There's no fucking way..." I turned quickly, pulling the large doors open and stealthily dodging the guards before jumping out a nearby window. I stumbled slightly when my feet hit the ground from the strong impact, but quickly regained my balance and took off.

Who knew all that training with Reborn would help me successfully dodge the first generations attacks and jump out a three story window (mostly) unscathed?


	2. Mystery 2

**Author Notes: **All translations will be at the bottom of each chapter.

**Warnings:** This story harbors quite a bit of cussing.

**Chapter 2 ▬ Primo ✖ Curiousity ✖ Confusion **

**Third Person **

"Boss - !" One of his men called, rushing into the office to make sure his precious boss had been left unharmed, "Should we go after her?"

The blonde shook his head, standing up from the leather chair, "No. I'll handle it myself."

"But - "

Before the man could protest, the blonde swept out of the office with the intent of looking for the black haired female. His cloak billowed behind him in the wind as he exited the building. The fact that she knew who he was, knew about the Vongola Famiglia... wasn't she just a teenage girl who had gotten lost? Why did her purple eyes widen in disbelief when she realized who he was? And why did she feel the need to run? Giotto surely had no intention of hurting her.

He wanted to know who she was, and exactly what she knew. He _had_ to find her. Italy was a large place, but he doubted she could get too far on foot. Giotto didn't know what it was, but his instinct was telling him that _he_ had to be the one to find her. He was sure his men wouldn't be too gentle if they were to search for her, as they proved in his office. And there was no point in involving his guardians, when he could handle something so small by himself.

**First Person **

I gasped for breath, leaning on a nearby stone wall for support; I was never good with running. I was too lazy for that, despite being a street fighter and someone who had been trained under Reborn. If he could see me now, he'd probably shake his head, kick me and walk off.

_What the hell is happening? It could have been Lambo's 10-Year Bazooka. He's always messing around with the thing. Demo..._

Doubt washed over me. The Bovino Family's 10-Year-Bazooka switches whoever is hit with theirself ten years in the future. Clearly, I was in the past.

"Damn Lambo. Damn Giannini." I growled, glaring at the ground, "I'll kill both of them."

True, I had no proof that Giannini had _upgraded_ the Bazooka and, in turn, screwed it up _again_ (who could forget what happened to Gokudera?). And sure, I had no proof that Lambo had actually hit me with the thing, effectively sending me _back in time_ (I didn't remember being hit with it, but It may have happened while I was asleep). But what other explanation was there?

When Shouichi Irie brought Tsuna and the others to the future, the Bazooka was originally used to get them there. 'Course, he used that damned machine of his after that, but the Bazooka was the original object used to get them there. Had someone gotten ahold of the device? No, that wasn't possible. The Shouichi of my era was still just a kid, and the future incident had been solved long ago, thanks to Yuni and Tsuna. She had given her life, to make sure nothing like that ever happened again.

I was all alone. No Tsuna. No Reborn. No Gokudera. No Yamamoto. No one.

Something suddenly dawned on me. The unfamiliar sights, the language I couldn't understand... Giotto was Italian, and his family lived in Italy... If he was here, then that meant...

"I'm in Italy!" I exclaimed, bashing my head against the brick wall I had previously been leaning on. I fell backwards onto the stone cold pavement with a groan, my hand flying to my, now, aching head. I closed my eyes to try and reduce the pain of the headache that was beginning to form, "Atleast I know this isn't a dream..."

Dreams didn't physically hurt, right?

"It's finally happened!" I exclaimed to the darkening sky. The sun had already halfway set, turning the sky a soft orange with strokes of purple. "Being around all these Italian Mafioso every day has finally destroyed what little sanity I had left! I've gone nuts!"

A chuckle reached my ears, "I believe it, the way you're talkin' to yourself!" I blinked up at the man that now stood over me, his feet at my head. "You alright, kid?" he held his hand out for me to take, pulling me back up onto my feet. Whether it was my headache or the sudden rush of being pulled to my feet that made be stagger, I couldn't be sure. It was probably a mix of both.

The man standing before me oddly resembled Iemitsu Sawada, Tsuna's dad, with his blonde hair and friendly smile, welcoming attitude and strong build. But.. wasn't the Primo Tsuna's great great great grandfather? The only difference was that this man didn't have a beard, and his eyes were a deep forest green with specks of brown. They also held a childish glint.

He held his hand out, a large smile on his face, "Italo Sawako."

Well, the name was _sort of_ the same... kind of...

A distance cousin, maybe?

"Er.." my hand was engulfed by his large, calloused hand, "Jay. My name is Jay."

"Well, Jay, do you have a place to stay?"

"Not... really..."

"You can stay with me, then!" he grinned, grabbing my wrist and pulling me away, "By the way, how old are you, kid?"

"Uhh... seventeen." I responded after muttering a _not really born yet_ under my breath.

"What's a seventeen year old girl doing out here, alone, at night, and with no place to stay?" he asked himself before shrugging it off.

I stared at the man's suit covered back as my mind began to drift. This was just too weird, nothing made any sense! I had seen _alot_ of _crazy ass_ shit since I had met Reborn, but this **definately** takes the cake. This was just downright ridiculous!

Italo glanced over his shoulder as we finally entered a large building, where I guessed is where he lived. I was so out of it, I didn't realize where the man had taken me until it was too late.

"There she is!"

"Ahh, shit." I muttered, seeing the familiar black clad men from earlier.

That's when it, _finally_, clicked in my head. This man was obviously a member of Vongola, especially if he somehow had ties to Iemitsu. Damn it, my perfected 'not-paying-attention-to-my-surroundings' skill has screwed me over once again.

And so, I found myself back in the Primo's office, sitting on the leather couch situated infront of his desk. Italo was standing by the arm of the couch, on my left. His men were positioned outside the door, just in case I tried to run again.

"Tell me who you are." It was a demand that left his lips, but his tone was so soft and kind, it almost didn't sound like one. Almost.

"Errr..." What was I supposed to say? "I'm... _affiliated_ with the Mafia." Oh.. that could work.

"Which family?"

"Vongola." Shit! I bit my lip, slamming my head against a mental wall. It had been an automatic response, due to my pride and love of the family. It came out before I could stop it.

His eyes shifted to my bottom lip, which I was currently chewing on, before returning to my eyes that refused to meet his gaze. Could he really notice such a small thing?

"Really? I've never seen you around before, kid!" Italo grinned, looking down at me and setting his large hand on my shoulder, "You're not Italian, either."

"No. I'm half American, half Japanese." I muttered under my breath, staring off to the side where a bookcase sat, taking up a little more than half the wall.

Despite how low my voice had been, the Primo still managed to catch the words I uttered. "Italo." he called, gaining the attention of the other blonde. His eyes never left my form as he spoke, "Can you excuse us?"

"Ah, sure thing, boss!" Italo grinned wider, patting my shoulder before leaving the room. Silence followed his departure, and I found myself reading the spines of the books to take my mind off of this crazy situation. I also made a mental note to kill Reborn if I ever managed to make it back. I squirmed uncomfortably under his piercing gaze. It was like he could see right through me, like he could read me like an open book. I hated that look. It felt as if he could even read my thoughts, and that annoyed me greatly.

Giotto took in every breath I took and every move that I made, like he was searching for something. If he did manage to figure out what was going through my head, I had no clue what fate would await me.

I truely was screwed.

"You seem anxious." he observed, "You said you were affiliated with the Mafia. In what way?" I went to respond, using my 'quick-lie' talent, but he cut me off, his expression softening, "You do not have to lie to me. It's okay to tell me the truth." That tone... he acted as if he was talking to a mere child (which I was to him, but that's beside the point).

I scowled at that, but bit my tongue to keep in the smart remark that wanted to run free, "You won't believe me."

"We will not know that until you tell me."

I bit down on my lip once more, hard enough to draw blood. My purple orbs stared down at the Vongola Ring on my finger. Something that looked like reconition flashed through his eyes but disappeared seconds later, as if it was never there to begin with. How could I explain this without sounding like a total nut job? My fists clenched tightly around my lose jeans, "I... I'm not.. _from_ this era."

"Oh?" he leaned back in his chair, hands folded and one leg crossed over the other, "Explain."

"I'm... from the future..." Why not try the truth? Who knows, maybe it will work out.

"The future?" his monotone voice never changed, making it harder for me to understand what the man was feeling.

"Yeah. I woke up and found myself in this era." I stood up, walking over to the bookcase and running my hand across the spines. I could feel his eyes boring into my back and it made my uncomfortable, "I don't know how or why I got sent to the past. But I do know I'm going to kill that damned cow when I get back." My hand clenched into a fist and vicious growl escaped my throat. Realization hit me, hard. I had been here for well over five minutes. I wasn't returning to my era... Would I ever get back? My heart clenched at the thought of never seeing Reborn or Tsuna again.

Two hands landed on my shoulders, a wave of calm shooting through my body from the contact, "You are very stressed out. I'll put you up in a room for the night, and we can finish this discussion tomorrow."

"Hai." I muttered, realizing just how tired both my mind and body were. Who knew being sent to the past would be so tiring? I couldn't stop the questions that swirled around in my head, though. Would I ever get back to my own time period? Would I ever see Reborn and Tsuna again? Or would I be stuck in the past forever? What would become of me? Did Tsuna and the others even _realize_ I was gone?

"Relax." he whispered in my ear, his breath fanning over my neck. His hands slid down my arms, encircling my waist as darkness took over my mind. The feeling of being picked up was the last thing my mind registered before shutting down.

**1) Demo **- But

**2) Hai** - Yes


	3. Mystery 3

**Warnings:** This story harbors quite a bit of cussing.

**Chapter 3 ▬ Relax ✖ Dream ✖ Reason **

I woke up around Midnight and couldn't get back to sleep. I layed in the unfamiliar bed, staring blankly at the white ceiling above me, trying to figure out my current situation. My mind had relaxed a little since I had gotten some sleep, but the pressure was still there. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to fit the pieces together, I just didn't have enough of them to work with.

When the sun began to rise, I pushed myself out of bed and left the dark room. My feet took over as I began to think about my options. I didn't pay attention to my surroundings as I walked. My mind was going over every little detail I had managed to pick up so far, even the unimportant ones. I had to make sure I didn't miss anything. In the end, everything was the same. It all seemed so hopeless.

I groaned in frustration, kneeling down in the middle of the hallway with my hands clutching tightly onto my black locks, my eyes closed tightly. I had gone over everything so many times in my head, so much so that my head was beginning to throb painfully. I felt worn out, but the only thing I could do was search for more pieces to this damned puzzle. I had to keep searching for clues. It's the only way that I was going to get the whole picture. I knew that, but there was nothing I could do. I didn't even know where to begin.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked up, meeting the concerned eyes of Giotto who was bent over to be level with me. "Are you alright?" he asked softly, cupping my pale cheek in his gloved hand, "You don't look like you've slept."

"I'm fine." I muttered, looking away from the male. I didn't know what it was about this man, but he always made it seem like everything would be okay, no matter how bad the situation was, "I couldn't sleep, but I'm fine."

"You need to relax, let your mind rest." he stood up straight after taking my hand and pulling me to my feet, "Once you begin to relax, I'm sure something will come to you. Over stressing your mind will only cause you harm." He spoke as if he already knew all of the details of my situation. Had I explained everything to him? I couldn't remember. It felt as if I was hungover.

Giotto grasped my hand, lightly pulling me along down the hall. He ended up bringing me into a bedroom, which I assumed was his own. He pulled me over to the bed before gently pushing me down and kissing my forehead, "Get some sleep."

I stared at the closed door and blinked. If I hadn't been so curious as to why he was being so nice to me, I would have scowled at his treatment. I could of been a spy or an assassin, an enemy, yet he still allowed me into his home without any guard or anything. He was treating me as if I was an old friend or something. Was he this trusting with everybody?

A sigh passed my lips as I fell back onto the silky sheets, my purple orbs closing almost immediately. Giotto's scent still lingered on the sheets and pillow and, for some reason, that seemed to relax me enough for me to fall asleep.

**^(!)^**

_Where am I?_

_My thoughts echoed throughout the darkness. Memories flashed by my eyes at a rapid pace, blurring so much that I couldn't make out what they were memories of. It was like a vision of my past, all squished into one. Why was I seeing this?_

_"Oi." The voice echoed. It was male and... sounded strangely like Gokudera, "Oi!" I tried to call out, to answer him, but my voice refused to work. "Figure it out." he called, "There isn't much time left."_

_Figure what out? Not much time?_

_"Don't let him out of your sight. Only you can save him."_

_Who? Save who?, I screamed in my head, desperately trying to make my voice heard._

_"Good luck..." the voice whispered before slowly fading away._

I jolted up in the bed, one hand clutching my chest where my rapidly beating heart lay. The other clutched my head in a futile attempt to stop the sharp pains. My body was covered in sweat and my breathing was heavy, as if I had run a marathon a hundred times over.

What the hell is happening to me?

**^(!)^**

It had been about three hours since my odd dream, and I hadn't been able to focus on anything since, not even the clues I was supposed to be looking for. I couldn't stop thinking about the voice that had invaded my dream. Did it mean anything? Or was it just the result of my over worked mind? Maybe if I figured out the meaning of that damned dream, I'd be able to figure out what was going on. Something in the back of my mind told me the two were related.

"Are you alright?"

I snapped out of my thoughts to see the Primo standing infront of me, looking down with worry in his eyes. "A-Aa, I'm fine."

"You've been out of it since you woke up." he paused, "Did something happen?"

"It's nothing really." I forced a smile that I knew he didn't believe.

Giotto took a seat next to me on the black leather sofa that sat in his office and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his chest. "If something is on your mind, you can talk to me. I'm always here to listen." his voice was soft and calming, like he was afraid I'd break if he rose his voice. I scowled, using all of my strength not to say something. He had been kind to me all this time, and it'd be wrong to snap at him for something as small as that.

Though I _really_ hated being treated like a child...

"My guardians are returning today. I'd like you to meet them." he murmured softly after a few minutes of silence. I tensed. Meeting the guardians... didn't that include that damned Daemon Spade? He must of sensed this (which wasn't hard, since his arms were around me) and tightened his grip, "You don't have to worry. They are all good people."

Deamon Spade was far from good. The bastard was worse than Mukuro! Well, all I had to do was avoid him at all costs without looking suspicious, ne? Piece of cake...!

Giotto led me into what looked like a living room. There were several couches and tables scattered through out the room, as well as rows of bookcases filled to the brim with various types of books, each looking brand new and quite elegant. He instructed me to have a seat while he met up with the others and informed them that I'd be waiting. Of course, I wasn't too happy as I took a seat on one of the fluffy couches, foot propped up on the edge of the coffee table infront of me. I could deal with all of the guardians, even Alaude, but Spade was out of the question. Mukuro I could get along with, but Spade was ten times worse.

I ignored the sound of various sets of feet and hushed whispers as the group entered the room. Maybe if I pretended I didn't hear them, they'd go away and leave me alone. Of course, that was a pretty slim chance.

"Jay." Giotto called softly. I couldn't ignore him, not him, so I slowly moved my head in his direction, purple orbs cast towards his guardians, who stood behind him. He motioned towards each individual guardian as he voiced their names. And, alas, who would be the last person he introduced? That damned Spade who smirked at me as if I was his new toy. I could feel the chills go down my spine, but I refused to show that to him.

After some coaxing, I stood from the sofa and shook each guardians hand (even Alaude's), but I hesitated when I reached Spade. We stood infront of each other, eyes locked in a undeclared staring match. I could feel my hands clenching at my side, eyes narrowed in annoyance. That smile, and the look in his eyes, his aura, hell, the way he stood was enough to cause goosebumps on my skin.

"Kufufu~" How could that laugh be even creepier coming from him than Mukuro? He held his hand out, smirk widening only slightly as his eyes bore into mine, "It's a pleasure to meet you, _Jay_."

My eyes widened and I tensed. He knew. I could tell just by looking into his eyes... Daemon Spade knew who I was. He knew about my belonging to Tsuna's family. He knew I didn't belong here. Did that also mean he knew how I got here? Or rather, how to get back?

He chuckled again, "Sorry to disappoint you."

My eye twitched as I put my hand in his, gripping it as tight as I could. Was this bastard a mind reader or something? His grip tightened to the same degree, accepting my unspoken challenge. The both of us stood there, glaring at one another while trying to break the others hand. It wasn't until one of the guardians spoke that I remembered Giotto and the others' presence. I quickly pulled away from the Illusionist bastard and averted my gaze to the side, biting my lip at my stupidity. How could I show that I knew him (and greatly disliked him) infront of the Primo? Now he'd really be suspicious of me.

"Do you know her?" Asari, the Rain Guardian, asked, stepping forward with his gaze on Spade.

The bastard stared at me for a minute before cocking his head to the side and glancing at the male, "No." My head snapped up, staring at him in disbelief. He hadn't told on me. Why? His eyes returned to my own and he smirked. His look said it all: _This isn't over. I __**will**__ catch you later._

I scowled, glaring at his back as he left the room. That bastard... he was going to hold it over my head, I just knew it. That was a Hibari like move, damn it! As I was attempting to burn holes into the door with my glare, I failed to notice the curious and cautious looks I was being sent by the guardians. I scoffed, crossing my arms and muttering _Illusionist Bastard_ under my breath before turning to the others. I blinked in surprise, my eyes slightly wide. I **really** needed to pay more attention! I rubbed the back of my head nervously, my lips twitching up into a forced and nervous smile.

Lampo and Alaude looked as if they could care less, not even paying attention to me. G. was glaring at me, untrust full in his eyes. Asari was watching me curiously, along with Knuckle. Giotto was watching me, but his expression was blank. This had me worried. Had I blown the only chance I had? What would happen if the Primo threw me out?

Sensing my worry, a small smile made it's way onto Giotto's lips. It was.. reassuring.

"Jay?" Asari asked softly, stepping towards me with a small smile, "Did you know Daemon Spade? The two of you seemed pretty.. _friendly_."

"Friendly?" I muttered, scowling at the thought of being friends with that bastard. I quickly shook my head and smiled softly, though it probably came off as more of a grimace, "I-Iie. I didn't know him. He just... _resembled_ an old friend of mine." Well, it wasn't a complete lie. He _did_ resemble Mukuro. Or rather, Mukuro resembled him. Either way, the two looked alot alike and both shared the power of the mist, along with those damned illusions. What was so enjoyable about mind raping someone? I'll never understand it.

"Oh, I see." he said thoughtfully. A softer smile grazed his lips as he closed his eyes, "I'm happy to meet you. I'm sure we will get along just fine."

I smiled a true smile this time, "Aa, I'm looking forward to spending time with you, Asari-san."

He blinked in surprise before chuckling softly, his hand curled against his mouth, "No need to be so formal, Jay."

Just a few words, and the calm spread through the room. The Rain Guardian truely was amazing. And, even though Takeshi was a very good Rain Guardian, the first generation took the cake. It sounds kind of mean, now that I think about it, but it is true.

Alaude scoffed and turned around, heading towards the door. Lampo followed close behind. A grin made it's way onto my lips as I turned towards them, calling out their names. Both stopped and looked at me, Lampo lazily and Alaude grumpily.

"I'm looking forward to getting to know the both of you better." I grinned, the corners of my lips twitching. Oh, how bad I wanted to smirk. I couldn't wait to bug the shit out of the first generation Lightning and Cloud guardians. It'd be even more fun than messing with Hibari.

Alaude narrowed his eyes at me before turning back around and leaving the room. Lampo ignored me completely and followed Alaude out the door, turning down a different corridor. I sniggered to myself, letting my mind begin to concoct some beautiful ways to annoy the pair. It shouldn't be too difficult, all things considered.

"I'm sorry about them." Asari apologized, a some what sheepish smile on his face, "They aren't very social."

"Ahh, no worries." I waved him off, "I'm used to it, actually. A friend of mine isn't very social, but it's fun to annoy him." Asari laughed lightly at the comment. We were going to be good friends, I could see it already~

"Che." G. moved forward, getting into my face and grabbing the front of my wife beater. He stared down at me, being quite a few inches taller, "I don't know who you are or what you're after. But you better watch yourself."

"G." Giotto called softly, the undertone of command holding tightly onto the words.

G. scoffed again, glaring at me as he backed up a little, "I'll be watching you. The first mistake you make, and you **will** regret it."

I scowled as he left the room. He was just as protective of his boss as Gokudera, but he wasn't as loud or reckless. Was this the age difference? It was the same with Asari. He was just as easy going as Takeshi, and as calming as well, but he was much more mature, and not at all oblivious. The similarities were definately something, and they stuck out so much that the differences were over shadowed.

Noticing my silence, Asari stepped forward, his eyes worried as his hands gently gripped my shoulders, "Please don't take what G. said to heart. He's only worried about the safety of Giotto and the rest of the family. You must understand, it's hard to trust someone who appeared out of nowhere, someone who knows about our family, and appears so out of place. And a foreigner, as well."

You'd think those words would of been insulting or hurtful. But, coming from Asari, with the soft way that he had spoken them, I couldn't get angry, nor could I feel hurt. I could see the surprise on his face when I smiled, "It's fine. I completely understand. I know the protection of your boss comes first. And you may not believe me, but I would **never** hurt the Primo or his guardians... _except maybe Spade..._" I muttered the last part under my breath, looking away towards the ground with my hand on my chin in thought. He **was **an infuriating man, afterall.

"I'm very happy to hear that." he attracted my attention again, "I trust you. I can see no lie in your eyes, nor can I sense any hostile intent. I fully trust you, but it may take a bit more coaxing to get the others to believe in you."

"Iie. It doesn't matter." he looked taken aback at that. "What I mean is, as long as I have the Primo's trust, it doesn't matter if the others don't believe me. The only person I want to trust in me is the Primo, and I'll do what I must to gain his trust. However, it **does** make me happy to know that you trust me, Asari."

"You have a good heart, that much I can be sure of." he whispered, pulling me into a hug before pulling away and heading towards the door, "I'll talk to you later, Jay."

Knuckle smiled at me before following Asari.

I smiled at the closed door, feeling a wave of happiness rush over me. I had been accepted by the first Generation Guardian of Rain... I never would of guessed that it would make me so happy. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Giotto was watching me intently, a soft smile on his lips. I couldn't identify what was shown in his eyes, though. I looked away from him when I realized that he had been there when I said only his trust mattered.

_Ugh, I can't believe he heard that!_ I could feel the embarassment well up in my stomach. And I could only hope he didn't confront me about it. I don't think I couldn't of been able to respond to it.

* * *

**1) Iie **- No

**2) Aa** - Yeah


	4. Mystery 4

**Author Notes:** Knuckle _may_ be OOC, because I've never actually written for him before. Sorry about that :) I tried to keep him as IC as I could.

**Warnings:** This story harbors quite a bit of cussing.

**Chapter 4 ▬ Library ✖ Watch ✖ Knuckle **

The room was silent other than the ticking of the grandfather clock on the other side of the room. I found myself wondering why they were called 'grandfather' clocks. Was it simply because they were much larger than normal clocks? Maybe because it was large, it got branded 'grandfather'. That would make regular clocks 'father', right? I guess there's no child, unless you count a watch as a clock. It does tell time, and it _is_ smaller than an average sized clock. What about the mother? Is she so great that the clocks bigger than grandfather clocks are dubbed 'mother' clocks? Or are they great grandfather clocks? Hmm, the world made no sense sometimes.

"What are you thinking about?" Giotto's voice brought me from my thoughts and I blinked at him. Once his words sunk in, I quickly looked away, grabbing my left elbow; a nervous habit. If I told Giotto what I was thinking about, he'd probably think I was crazier than he already did. I bit my lip and he chuckled, "You don't have to gain my trust." Though I was thankful for the change in topic, the one he changed it to wasn't much better.

"Of course I do." I mumbled, rubbing my arm, "I don't expect to automatically have everyone's trust, especially considering the circumstances."

Giotto moved to stand infront of me, his hand resting gently ontop of my head, "You already have my trust." I was about to protest, but he cut me off, "That ring around your finger is proof."

My eyes widened and my hand clenched, thumb resting against the metal. I had meant to hide it, but somehow managed to forget. I cursed my forgetfulness. Maybe Reborn was right, Maybe I _did_ have ADD*. I always get sidetracked.

"I don't know how you got that ring, but it's enough to prove your story. The Vongola Rings can not be faked. They are not so simple as to be used by just anybody. You are wearing the true form of the ring, and it did not reject you, proving that you are meant to bare that ring." he stared at it thoughtfully, "There is no doubt in my mind that you are telling me the truth."

"Primo..." I whispered, feeling shock and warmth spread through my body. His eyes met mine and I smiled, my eyes shining, "You're too trusting."

He chuckled, a smile on his lips, "G. often says the same thing. I have some buisness to attend to. Feel free to explore the grounds, but don't push yourself too hard. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me or one of my guardians."

I watched as he walked swiftly and gracefully out of the room. I figured I'd take full advantage of his suggestion. It's not every day you get to explore the house (mansion) belonging to the first generation Vongola Family, afterall.

I walked down the hall, taking in all of the details. Giotto had been right. If I over stress my mind, I won't get anywhere. I'll just ending up running around in circles like a dog chasing it's own tail. Admiring the mansion was a pretty good way to relax.

The hall I was walking down had a calm and collected feel to it. Not too cold, but not screaming "welcome!" either. The right wall held various doors and paintings, while the left was a series of windows. On both sides were small, round, and white colored tables, some holding plants and flowers, while others held small sculptures. The carpet was royal red in color and soft like velvet. When I made my way down the large set of stairs to the first floor, I turned to the left and kept walking until I reached the very end of the hall. Double doors, even larger than the ones leading to Giotto's office, stood infront of me. Elegant carvings covered the doors, smooth to the touch.

I pushed the doors open as lightly as I could before stepping inside the library. There were hundreds of shelves towering over me, and thousands of books filling the room from top to bottom. I could guarantee that this room held atleast one book on every subject known to man. There were probably five life times or more worth of books. It was... incredible. I was so engulfed in the selection that I didn't realize that someone had followed me inside the library, nor did I hear the door being closed.

I weaved in and out of the shelves, my hand running lightly over the books' spines. Most people (even those who knew me) would probably be shocked that I love to read. Looking at me, the way I act and talk, and my grades are pretty good indicators that I don't delve in anything like that. But I absolutely loved reading. I just usually didn't have enough free time to do so, thanks to school, a certain biting-fetish bird, and an annoying brat who could kick my ass. And when I _do_ get the free time, I'm usually too tired to do anything but sleep.

A sigh passed my pale lips when my hand stopped on a book called _Home is where the heart is_*. If that was the case, then my home would be with Tsuna, Gokudera, Yamamoto, and the rest of the gang. My hand balled into a fist against the books, eyes closed tight and teeth clenched. I missed my friends, my _family_. My glazed over eyes opened slowly, trembling with sadness as a bitter smile worked it's way onto my lips, "Heh. The last thing I said to Gokudera was an insult. I pissed Hibari off and upset Lambo. I yelled at Mammon about taking my money, and snapped at poor Skull and Dino... I'm horrible." my voice cracked and I slammed my fists against the bookcase, "Tsuna..."

I could feel my heart ache, like someone was squeezing it tightly in their fist. It was hard to breathe and I felt like crying. I was pretty good at keeping things to myself, and I **never** cried unless it was truely bad. My family meant more to be than anything else in this world, and the thought of never seeing them again... It was unbearable.

Had they noticed my disappearance? Were they angry? Concerned? Did they think I abandoned the family?

_I have to pull myself together... This is ridiculous!_

"Kufufu~" I didn't register the laugh in time to react before a set of arms snaked around my waist and a chin rested upon my shoulder. I didn't feel shivers like earlier and I knew I needed the comfort, even if it was from _him_. "Is my little bird* upset?"

Ignoring the comment, I decided to spoke instead of ignoring him all together, my tone just above a whisper, "What do you want?"

"What else?" he chuckled, "I'm going to help you."

My eyes widened and I pulled out of his embrace, spinning around to face him, "Magi? You'll really help me?"

He nodded, his usual creepy smile in place, "I'll do whatever I can."

"Wait..." I took a step back, eyebrows furrowed in distrust, "Why would _you_ help _me_? And, now that I think about it, why didn't you tell the Primo and the other Guardians what you knew?"

"Kufufu~ You don't belong in this era, my little bird. You don't belong with the first generation family. And you don't belong with the first. You belong only with Vongola Decimo and his generation." he grabbed a few strands of my black hair, twirling it in his hand, his eyes locked with my own, "I won't tell anyone. It'll be our little secret. Kufufu~"

I scowled at his back as he took his exit, the doors closing silently behind him. I didn't _want_ to trust him, but who else could I turn to? Daemon Spade was the only one who knew who I was, who knew everything. He's the only one who could help me gather the clues I needed to solve this mystery. I leaned back against the shelf, staring up at the dark ceiling that loomed above me. A mocking smile touched my lips as I chuckled, "Atleast I know that I don't have what it takes to become a detective, especially if I have to rely on Daemon Spade to help me solve it."

Shuffling caught my attention and the feeling of being watched creeped into my mind. How long had they been there? How much had they heard? And more importantly, had Spade known that they were there? Worrying won't get me anywhere, I concluded before leaving the library. Still, it pricked the back of my mind. Whether it was worry or raw curiousity, I wasn't too sure.

In an attempt to calm my nerves, I left the house and headed out to the large garden on the side of the house. Almost instantly, a calming aroma filled my nose as the sound of the wind ruffling the leaves of the tall trees and flowers reached my ears. The wind was cool against the exposed skin of my arms and face, and the sun was hidden behind light gray clouds. Laid out through the garden was a small pathway, just big enough to walk through without damaging the flowers. Lush green grass and various types of flowers littered both sides of the pathway. The path led to a small open area where a bench was positioned. Infront of the white bench was a medium sized round water fountain colored a teal blue.

This garden was extremely peaceful and... almost magical. As soon as I sat down, my worries about the library incident and about searching for clues left my mind. I felt at ease here. It felt as if the rest of the world didn't matter, like time stopped when you entered this area.

"It's very calming, isn't it?" My eyes darted to the side. Knuckle had just walked up the path, sending me a friendly smile. "May I join you?" he questioned, his eyes shifting to the empty spot beside me on the bench.

I scoffed, my gaze on the fountain, "I'm just the guest, Knuckle-san. You don't have to ask me such a question."

He smiled, setting himself down beside me, "You seemed like you didn't want to be bothered."

"Iie. I just have alot on my mind." I sighed, leaning back on the bench and staring up at the baby blue sky, "Everything is just so confusing. I don't know what to do, or where to begin. I've never been so confused in my life."

Knuckle took my hand in his own, lacing our fingers together and closing his eyes, "I don't know the extent of your situation, but I can tell it's putting a really heavy strain on your mental health. It's fine to think things over, as long as you don't harm yourself in the process. Have faith, and I'm sure the lord will help you find the answers you seek when the time is right."

I gripped his warm hand tightly. Normally, I felt really uncomfortable and awkward around religious people, especially when they managed to bring it into normal conversation, but... I didn't feel that way around Knuckle. His presence was reassuring and his words made me realize how important it was to remain calm. I already knew that the key to such situations were to remain calm and collected, but I had never been faced with such a situation before. Sure, I had been apart of the future arc, but I had Tsuna and the others at my side. Now, I had noone.

Knuckle ran his thumb over the Vongola Ring on my finger, "This is proof that you're no threat to us. But, I'd recommend you hiding it. The others may let their minds wander." Giving my hand a small squeeze, he pulled away and stood up, leaving me alone in the garden.

I pulled the ring off my finger and examined the ruby red jewel with the Vongola Crest before setting it on the bench. I unhooked the chain around my neck before slipping the ring onto it, it making a clinging sound as it hit the dog tags (which also bore the Vongola Crest). I rehooked it and tucked it into my shirt; the chain was long enough to be well hidden beneath my white tank top. I put my hand over it through my shirt, Knuckles' words echoing in my mind.

* * *

**ADD = **Attention Deficit Disorder

**Home Is Where The Heart Is = **Probably **not** a real book. But the title was fitting, and I couldn't find a real book that fit what I was looking for~

**Little Bird =** The OC's name is Jay, which stands for Blue Jay, which is a type of bird~

**1) Magi** - Seriously


	5. Mystery 5

**Author Notes:** I want to say thank you to everyone who is reading this story, to everyone who had reviewed or favored/alerted this story. It really means alot to me, and it makes me happy to know that this story is good enough to keep the attention of the readers. Thank you everyone! :D Also, from now on I'm going to answer your questions at the end of the chapter, instead of responding to reviews. So, if you have any questions about the story, feel free to ask~

**Warnings:** This story harbors quite a bit of cussing.

**Chapter 5 ▬ Lost ✖ Byakudera ✖ Worry **

"Ahh, there you are!" Asari smiled as he approached me, "I've been looking for you, Jay."

An hour or so had passed since I left the garden and I had wandered back into the house. Currently, I was standing against the railing of the staircase, looking up at the paintings that hung on the wall. "What's up?" I questioned as he came to a stop infront of me.

"Alaude is heading out for a little bit, and Giotto thought it would be a good idea for you to join him." he responded, chuckling when I raised an eyebrow, "He is waiting out front for you."

I nodded, sending him a soft, "Thank you" before heading outside. Alaude stood next to the open black metal gate, arms crossed and blue orbs closed. When he heard me approach, his eyes slid open and he took off through the gate. I followed a few feet behind him so he wouldn't feel 'crowded'. I knew that, like Hibari, he wasn't fond of being too close to other people. And he was probably in a bad mood, since he had me tagging along against his will.

Despite the silence that followed us like a cloud, it was pretty peaceful and relaxing. The air was getting chilly as late afternoon approached, the sun hidden behind a bed of fluffy light gray clouds. The trees rustled, their leaves - shades of brown and orange - dancing in the wind. Autumn was just around the corner, less than a week away.

When I had re-entered the house after leaving the garden, I happened to take notice of the calendar on the wall. The date was the same as it was in my own era, the only difference being the year. I didn't know if that could be considered a 'clue' or not, but I kept it in the back of my mind, just in case.

"I don't know what you're planning." Alaude said suddenly, his voice low, "But you should watch what you do." he glanced over his shoulder, face blank, "I don't care what you plan to do, But the others won't feel the same."

I stopped walking, my eyes wide in surprise before narrowing at his back, "It was you. You were the one in the library." Alaude stopped walking, turning around to face me. His expression was blank, and he had an unreadable look in his eyes. He didn't say anything, but his actions told me I was right. We stared at each other for a few minutes before I managed to relax, my glare softening, "I know you have the whole 'not-wanting-to-be-apart-of-this' thing goin' on, but... I'm still surprised you haven't said anything to anyone."

"As I said, I don't care what you do." he paused, turning back around, "You should be careful around Daemon Spade. Don't get me wrong." he glanced over his shoulder, his cold blue orbs stopping me from speaking, "I don't care what happens to you. But we would never hear the end of it from Giotto if something were to happen to you. Don't trust Daemon Spade."

I watched in surprise as he walked away, my eyes slightly wide. Just like Hibari, he acts as if he could care less when, really, he _does _care. The Lone Cloud of Vongola... The drifting cloud that is never trapped by anyone, and walks it's own path, watching over others from a distance.

The corners of my lips tugged up into a smile, my purple eyes shifting to the sky.

**!#!**

I had somehow managed to find myself in the park (after being left behind by Alaude, who was probably back at the house by now). I didn't know where exactly I was, how I got there, or how to get back. But I wasn't really worried about it. I had heard rumors that Italy's streets were tough at night, but whether that was true or not was up to debate. This was the first time I had ever stepped foot in Italy, so I really didn't know what to think. And besides having Italian friends, I didn't know anything about Italy (other than the fact that they have wonderful food~).

A sigh passed my pale lips as I fell onto the cold metal bench, eyes cast towards the darkening sky. I couldn't quite understand why, but I felt content. It might of been because I knew who was in the library, and I also knew that he wouldn't say anything. He had no benefit from it and, clearly, he didn't see me as a threat.

I breathed in the cool air, a smile coming to my lips as I closed my eyes. Hell, it might of been the cold air that was making me feel so relaxed and calm. It always put a magic spell on me. It had since I was a child.

"_Oi._"

The sound was so faint, I barely heard it. Summing it up to the wind or my imagination, I kept my eyes closed and ignored it. But I had an odd sensation in the back of my mind that I couldn't understand.

"_Dammit woman! Don't ignore me!_"

My eyes snapped open, scanning the area. There was noone there. Not a single person. I shook my head and closed my eyes, a hand to my forehead, "I'm losing it."

"_If only that was the case. Do you know how hard it is to get ahold of you?_"

My eyes opened once more, staring blankly at the empty bench across from me. Now, a normal person would be freaking out, hearing a voice like that when noone was around. Well, I'm not exactly _normal_ and, if you haven't noticed, **I was fucking transported to the past**. Nothing would surprise me at this point. "Okay, I'll bite. Who are you, and why are you trying to _get ahold _of me?"

"_Look to your right, behind the trees._"

Doing as the voice commanded, my eyes looked to my right, into the large patch of trees; it looked kind of like a mini forest. Inside, I saw a light whitish glow and I stood, walking towards it. When I reached the source of the strange glow, I found a tall man, almost six feet tall. His hair was as white as Byakuran's, but his hairstyle was in a similar fashion to Gokudera's. His voice resembled future Gokudera (the same I had heard in my dream), and he was dressed in a black suit with an orange tie and white shirt. Fingerless gloves covered his hands, making the bright orange ring on his finger noticeable. Was that... it couldn't be... **A sky ring**?

His reddish-purple eyes shifted to his ring before moving back to my face. His face stayed stoic, but his voice portrayed the annoyance he obviously felt, "Come with me. It's too risky for us to talk in public."

I watched as he turned around and began walking away. I shrugged and followed after him. It was better than sitting on a park bench and doing nothing. We walked for a good thirty minutes before coming to an abandoned house at the edge of the town. I was surprised that it was still standing. The wood had turned dark, like it had been scorched. All of the windows had been smashed and about three layers of dust covered everything. The wood of the porch squeaked under the pressure of myself and the mysterious man, like it hadn't been walked on in years. There was no door knob on the door, so it was easily pushed open, creaking under the strain.

I glanced at the strange male as we entered the 'home'. Normal thoughts would be along the lines of, "Oh my god, he's going to rape and/or kill me!". But, for some damned reason, I felt like it was safe to be around him. Reborn always told me my intuition was pretty good, and that I was a (somewhat) good judge of charater. Let's hope he is right (which he **always** is).

The man led me into the kitchen and opened a drawer underneath the sink. He pulled out a rather large knife (just a bit smaller than a butcher knife) and placed it over his ring. The knife began to glow before being engulfed in sky flames. A click made my attention turn towards the fridge. A hole, about the size of the tip of the knife, appeared by the handle. The man, who I am going to call _Byakudera-chan_ until I get his name, walked over and inserted the knife into the hole. The whole fridge began to glow with the eight colors of the dying will flames before it died away. Another click and the door slowly opened.

A whistle passed my lips as I peered in. It was a hallway, dimly lit by candles.

"Come with me." he walked into the hallway and I followed behind. Several twists, turns and forks later, we stopped infront of a large wooden door with the words _Gardiano Family_ sprawled across it in elegant yellow lettering, the same color as the sun flame. He pushed the door open and motioned for me to step inside. Another whistle passed my lips when I entered. It was a cozy and welcoming living room. Two couches were in the center, facing each other; they were a light beige. In between the two was an oblong wooden table holding a black laptop. It was open, but the screen was black. The fireplace on the back wall looked like it hadn't been lit in awhile, and various paintings covered the walls.

"Have a seat." he told me, sitting on the couch that was facing the front of the laptop.

I sat across from him, my left ankle resting on my right knee. The room wasn't hot, nor was it cold, and it had a really welcoming feel to it.

Byakudera-chan looked over at the door opposite the one we came in through as footsteps made themselves known. Minutes later, the door was pushed open and in walked a male with bright red hair that reached his shoulders. Black rimmed glasses were on his face, infront of his bright green eyes (he slightly resembled Shouichi, like a distance cousin or something). He was out of breath as he walked over, taking his seat beside the male, right infront of the laptop.

"Sorry I'm late." he breathed, glancing at Byakudera-chan before looking at me, "Is she the one?"

"That's right."

"The one what?" I raised an eyebrow in question.

Both men exchanged looks before looking back at me. I remained cautious and curious as they began to explain who they were, what they did and why they needed me. To say it was alot to process would be an understatement.

**Third Person**

Giotto stood infront of the window in his office, his eyes locked on the large black gate. Alaude, G. and Asari were standing infront of his desk, each with a different emotion on their face. Alaude's face was blank, G.'s was annoyed, and Asari looked worried.

Alaude had returned about two hours ago, but he had returned alone. He had nothing to say when he was asked where Jay was. Obviously, he didn't know. When he had began walking, he had expected her to follow. But she didn't. And there was no way he was going to waste his time scouring the city for her. She'd be back eventually. Like a lost animal, she'd find her way back at some point.

"It's getting dark." Giotto said softly. His guardians, his _friends_, knew what he meant by that sentence: _It's dangerous for a young girl to be out alone at night._

"Should we go look for her?" Asari asked softly.

"Alaude should go." G. stated, glaring at the stoic male at his side, "He **is** the one that lost her."

"I did not lose her." his voice was blank as he glanced at the storm guardian, "She lost herself."

"Che. You knew she was a foreigner and didn't know her way around. You should have made sure she stuck with you. Now you have Giotto worried."

"Arguing will get us nowhere." Asari told them, his calming nature taking affect.

"I'll go and find her." Daemon Spade strolled into the room, past the three guardians and up to Giotto, who had turned around to look at him upon entrance. His usual smirk was plastered on his lips, and his eyes were shining with amusement. It would simply be a game of cat and mouse to him.

Giotto felt something wrong about the situation, but he refused to doubt his guardian. He nodded his head, turning fully to face the male, "I am trusting you to bring her back safely, Daemon."

Spade's smirk widened, "Don't worry. I'll bring her back _safe and sound_~ Kufufu~"

* * *

_Gardiano _is Italian for "Guardian"


	6. Mystery 6

**Author Notes:** First off, **MAJOR SPOILER WARNING** for those who have not finished the anime. Please read at your own risk.

I want to say thank you to kimkakashi for pointing out the mistakes I made in the last chapter. I had proof read it before posting, but somehow still managed to miss it. I tend to switch Point of Views for various works, and I often cross them by mistake. Thank you for letting me know :) I'll definately try harder not to overlook any mistakes.

I want to apologize, this chapter is kind of sucky D:

**Warnings:** This story harbors quite a bit of cussing. Major Spoilers lie ahead.

**Chapter 6 ▬ Protectors ✖ Future ✖ Threat **

"My name is Rorian, and I'm the boss of the _Gardiano Famiglia_." Byakudera, errr... _Rorian_ said as he stared at me, one leg crossed over the other and his arms folded over his chest, "We need your help."

"I'm Salmon, the lightning guardian." Red pushed his glasses up with his index finger, smiling shyly at me, "I'm the protector of the first generation lightning guardian, Lampo."

"Protector?" I blinked in confusion.

"Allow me to explain." Salmon picked up the laptop and moved to sit beside me, the laptop on his lap. He tapped a few keys and the screen lit up. "You see, we're from the future, to. Beyond your time period, though; we're from ten years after your time. We borrowed Shouichi Irie's technology to come here."

"You know Shouichi?" Of all the questions plaguing my mind, **that** would be the one that I asked...

"T-That's right." he muttered, rubbing the back of his head as his cheeks flushed, "He's my older cousin."

"Should of known." I muttered under my breath, glancing off to the side.

Byaku... _Rorian_ cleared his throat, glaring at the both of us, "Small details are not important. Get back on topic."

"R-Right. You remember Kikyo, one of the real six funeral wreaths?" I nodded. "He was angry about Byakuran being defeated, and even more angry that he had been kept alive by the Varia's sun guardian. He used Shouichi's technology to come to this point on the time line. He plans to use his power to completely annihilate the Vongola. We are here to make sure that doesn't happen."

"Kikyo has to be stopped, but he mustn't be killed. We have to take him back to the future alive, or something bad might happen. You won't be able to return home until this matter is resolved." Rorian stood and walked to the side of the room, behind the couch we sat on, and poured himself a cup of coffee. Two questions entered my mind, glowing brighter than the rest.

"Oi, Rorian. Can I ask you something?" he raised an eyebrow as he re-took his seat. "Can I call you _Rory_? And are you somehow related to Byakuran or Gokudera?"

His eye twitched, "No. You may **not** call me _Rory_."

"Dude, you totally just avoided my second question." I stared at him blankly, "I am sooo calling you Rory-chan."

His redurple eyes closed in an attempt to keep his annoyance level under control.

"He's Byakuran's little brother." Salmon answered, typing away on his laptop. He froze, however, at the killer intent rolling off of his boss and the evil glare he was recieving. He gulped, "S-She needs to know _everything_. Sylvian agrees with me!"

"I don't give a damn if the **Queen of England** agrees with you. **I** am the boss, and what **I** say, goes."

"But, Boss - !"

"Why's it matter?" I interrupted, looking at the male curiously, "It's the little details that make the big picture clear."

Rorian sighed, closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead as if he had a bad headache. It was obvious he had no intention of answering the question.

"That's an easy one." A man appeared in the doorway, walking over and sitting next to Rorian. His hair was a spikey silver, tied back in a low ponytail that stopped mid-back, and his eyes were a bright emerald green. "Rory believed that you wouldn't want to help if you knew that he and the devil-bitch were related. We need your help, and we can't afford to lose you."

I snickered at his word choice. Oh yeah, we were going to be _good_ friends. "Clearly, he's not a bad person, he just has an attitude problem. And he doesn't seem too happy about Byakuran's decisions, or Kikyo's plan. I feel..." I closed my right eye and rubbed the back of my neck, grinning sheepishly, "I feel like I can trust him, and both of you, to."

"Oh?" the un-named male stood and moved over to stand infront of me, arms crossed and eyes searching. He stood that way for several minutes, like he was reading a book, before his lips pulled up into a smile, "Your instincts are pretty good." he held out a ringed hand, "My name is Sylvian, Cloud guardian and protector of Alaude."

"Fun." I grinned, sliding my hand into his own. He chuckled in response, taking a seat next to me. "I have a question, though. Why me?" the three men looked at me and I clarified, "I don't mind. I think it's pretty cool to meet the first gen. in person. I just don't understand why _I _was chosen to help you all stop Kikyo. I mean, Tsuna's stronger than I am, and he's the boss. Why didn't you pick him?"

"Although Sawada Tsunayoshi is very strong, he's not the one to save the first generation family. Only the bearer of the Fire Ring can save them." The four of us turned towards the door and my eyes widened. The man that stood there, his dark red orbs trained on me... his hair was the same as Zakuro's, and he resembled him, to. But he looked older, more mature and laid back, but also serious. The man stepped forward, his eyes never leaving my form, "The Fire Guardians, the ones that no one knows about. We are the strongest of them all, second only to the boss. Of course, we are not too far behind." his ruby red orbs glanced at Rorian before returning to me.

"So you're the fire guardian?" I questioned, moving to stand infront of him. He towered over me, atleast six feet tall.

He nodded, "I was the fire guardian for the Millefiore originally. My younger brother was also a real funeral wreath, but that bastard betrayed him and now he's dead." he paused, "Don't get me wrong. I'm not in this for revenge. I always thought what Byakuran did was wrong, but I bit my tongue and stayed with the Millefiore in order to watch over my brother, but I refused to fight. When I found out my brother had been killed, I left."

"Zakun was the one who informed us of Kikyo's plan." Sylvian said, resting his cheek in the palm of his hand, "Kikyo attempted to get Zakun to join, but he refused and came to us. The Fire Rings are very picky, which is why several generations of the ring were skipped. So many people tried to bare the ring, but it refused them every time. Like a spoiled child." he muttered the last part under his breath, but we all heard it.

"When the young tenth generation vongola went to the future to stop Byakuran with the power of the Vongola rings - " Zakun paused, walking over to sit on the same couch as Rorian, " - everything began to change. When your boss defeated Byakuran. When Yuni gave her life to revive the fallen Arcobaleno. All of this changed the future. Everyone that had been killed and all of the destruction caused by Byakuran was reversed. This included bringing my brother back to life, but his memories of the event have been removed. Since Kikyo was left alive, his memories weren't tampered with."

"Our goal is to make sure history doesn't repeat itself. If Kikyo succeeds, the world is doomed. It's our job to protect the first generation family. And yours, as well. Only the Fire Guardians are strong enough to support us." Rorian sipped his coffee, "We have yet to find the third."

"The third?" I questioned, sitting back down inbetween Sylvian and Salmon.

"That's correct. We have the Fire Guardian for the Millefiore and Gardiano Family; Zakun. And The tenth generation Vongola Fire Guardian; You. But we still need the first generation Vongola Fire Guardian." Salmon explained, pulling up the chart for the rings on his computer.

"I didn't think there was one."

"There isn't."

"Then how..?"

"Giotto already had his core family when he first formed the Vongola. The fire guardian wasn't necessary. However, now he is. It's your job to take the fire ring from the Primo, and find the rightful owner." Rorian told me, his expression serious.

"Woah, hold on a damn minute." I stood up, glaring at the white haired male, "You want me to _steal_ the fire ring? You're nuts!"

"It's necessary."

"They're already suspicious. If I do this, and get caught, I'll never gain their trust!"

"Would you rather explain the situation?" he questioned, eyes narrowed in annoyance as his voice dripped with sarcasm, "I'm sure he'll believe you."

"Teme..."

"Well, I'll be taking you back." Sylvian announced, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the door we had entered in at. My cries of, _"Oi! Let go of me!"_ were ignored as I was roughly pulled through the winding hallways. Sylvian kept quiet until we had exited the house and made our way out onto the street, "I knew the two of you were going to clash."

"I can't do that." I muttered, staring at the pale hand clasped around my wrist. The last thing I wanted was for the Primo to hate me, or find that he can't trust me. And stealing from him? I just couldn't.

"I understand that." he sighed, turning around and placing his hands on my shoulders. His eyes looked sympathetic as they bore into my own, "I understand your feelings. But you have to make a decision. You can choose not to take the ring, and the chance of the Primo being murdered will increase. Or, you can take the ring, risk him no longer trusting you, and save his life."

I bit my lip and looked at the ground. When he put it that way, it made my decision pretty clear.

"Oh, and what do we have here?" Both of us looked up towards the voice and I scowled. Of all the times for him to appear, it had to be now. Daemon Spade stood there, a smirk on his lips as his blue orbs darted back and forth between us. "You found a friend? How sweet."

"Che." I glared at him before returning to Sylvian, who looked indifferent to the whole situation. "Thank you for everything. And I'll think it over, I promise." I sent him a small smile before heading towards Spade. He chuckled as I passed but said nothing, turning around to follow me. He picked up his pace so that he was walking infront of me; I had no clue where I was going, after all. Everything I had been told weighed on my mind. I felt relieved that I knew why I was here, and that I _did_ have a chance of returning to my own time. But the weight of the new information took it's place, weighing even heavier than the first. I had some serious thinking to do.

**Namimori, Japan - Future**

**Third Person**

Tsuna sat in his classroom, his chin resting in the palm of his hand. Class was in session, but he wasn't paying attention to anything the teacher was saying. He was too worried to concentrate. Jay had been gone for awhile now, which wasn't exactly abnormal. But she usually atleast called or texted him when she was gone awhile. It was also rare for her not to say she was going away.

He was extremely worried. What if she had been kidnapped? The possibility was unlikely. She could of fought off anyone who attempted it. What if she was hurt? She never let that stop her before. What else was left? She could have been lost (her sense of direction wasn't too great), but she would of called had that been the case. There was no other option left. It was almost as if she had _vanished_.

Tsuna sighed as he entered his home, kicking his shoes off before climbing the stairs. When he entered his bedroom, he was surprised at the sight before him. Reborn was sitting on his desk, drinking a cup of coffee. Lambo was beside him, tied up and hanging from the ceiling. He was crying and calling out threats towards Reborn, who simply ignored him.

"R-Reborn!" Tsuna ran over, dropping his bag on the floor. Before he could touch Lambo, Reborn cocked his gun and aimed it at him.

"Don't touch him." Reborn lowered his gun and it returned to it's original form as Leon, "Lambo is the reason Jay is gone."

"Eh?" he blinked, "What are you talking about, Reborn?"

"Jay was over here sleeping while you were at school. He hit her with the 10-Year-Bazooka while she was sleeping."

"Is it malfunctioning again?"

"I don't think so."

"Don't tell me..." Tsuna grabbed his hair, a high pitched _Hiii~!_ leaving his throat, "A repeat of the future incident?"

"It's possible. But something feels off." Reborn pulled his fedora down over his eyes, "The 10-Year-Bazooka is gone, and only she was taken."

"W-What do we do?"

"There's nothing we can do." Reborn jumped off the table and headed towards the door, "We can only wait."

* * *

**Teme** = A mean way of saying "You"

* * *

**.: Questions :.**

**Q) Was the voice in the previous chapters also Byakudera?**

**A)** Yes, that was also him.

**Q) Is Byakudera or the red-headed male the Fire Guardian of Primo's time?**

**A)** The Primo's fire guardian is non-existant at the moment. Because the six guardians were more than enough for the boss, the final guardian (the guardian of fire) was not necessary and, since the ring is so picky of it's owner, it's a difficult task to find someone to bear the ring.

**Q) What Flame Does Jay Have?**

**A) **This may cause alot of trouble, but I made her have the flame of "Fire". It's weird, because all of them are flames, but Fire is just as much an element as Rain or Mist. I wanted to be different from all those other people who were using Snow. I know it's real in the game, but I really wanted to go a different route with it. In my mind, there's no reason Fire can't exist as well as any of the others :)


	7. Mystery 7

**Author Notes:** Again, thank you, kimkakashi. It seemed to fit when I wrote it, but now that I think about it, it wasn't necessary.

**Warnings:** This story harbors quite a bit of cussing. Mini Spoilers.

**Chapter 7 ▬ Decision ✖ Escape ✖ Wound **

I was in the guest bedroom, laying on the cold sheets and staring up at the dark ceiling. My lights were out, but I couldn't sleep. My mind was too alive with questions. I was regretting my decision to ask irrelevant questions, opposed to ones that **needed** to be answered.

When I had returned to the house, I had recieved a mixure of expressions from the guardians, ranging from annoyed to worried and even uncaring. I couldn't deal with their questions and brushed them off, shaking my head and heading to my room without a word. I could feel their stares on my back as I went, but I ignored it.

When I had reached my room, I turned off all the lights so they'd think I was sleeping, making it less likely that they'd bother me. I opened the curtains, letting the moonlight shine in before hopping onto my bed. My hands were folded behind my head, eyes locked with the ceiling.

I knew they were talking about me and trying to pick Spade's brain for information. Just thinking about it pissed me off. Stealing the ring would be betraying them, betraying the people that treated me so kindly even though I could of been a threat. Sure, it was for a good reason - it was to save their life - but the thought of them hating me... I couldn't even imagine it.

I was so wrapped up in my thoughts, I didn't notice the knock on my door. I didn't notice when it was pushed open, or when the Primo entered. Only when he put his hand on my arm did I snap out of it, my purple eyes moving to meet his, which were laced with worry.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly, brushing his hand against my forehead, "Did something happen while you were gone?"

_Yes_, I thought, _Something big happened. But I'm not going to tell _you_ that._ "No, nothing happened. I'm just tired."

"Then why haven't you gone to bed?" He knew I was lying, Damn Hyper Intuition. His hand cupped my cheek, rubbing it softly with his thumb, "You know you can talk to me about anything. I will not judge you."

"Primo, I have to..." I froze. I was **so** tempted to tell him. There was something about this man that made me want to spill everything, but I couldn't risk losing his trust, Not yet. I had to keep it long enough to get that ring. But first, I had to get him to tell me where the bloody thing was, without sounding suspicious. "I was wondering... you don't have a fire guardian, right? But, you still have the ring?"

He nodded, bringing his hand back. His expression was the same, as was his friendly smile, but there was something odd in his eyes. I couldn't figure out what. "Yes. I have it in my office."

"Why isn't there a first generation guardian?"

Giotto looked thoughtful for a minute before his expression softened, "That is a story for another time. It is late, and you have had a rough day. Get some sleep." he kissed my forehead and walked swiftly out of the room. Guilt swelled inside of me; this was going to be something I regretted for the rest of my life.

A sigh passed my lips and I turned over in bed, closing my eyes and letting darkness overtake me.

**!#!**

I didn't know where I was. My mind felt hazy, like it was clouded with a heavy fog. Looking around, I found myself in the small strip of Merone Base that had been left after the transport by Byakuran, infront of the white round machine that Shouichi had used to transport us between past and future. Why was I here?

"What do you think you're doing, Kikyo?"

I looked over and my eyes widened. Kikyo stood by the end of the barely existent room, the heels of his feet hanging off the side. A few feet infront of him stood Zakun, who had a blank expression on his face.

"Think about what you're doing, Kikyo. Byakuran used you, just like he used my brother. It was all a game to him. You were given a second chance thanks to the Vongola, are you really going to throw that away for a monster like him?"

"Shut up!" Kikyo growled, glaring at the red headed male, "Byakuran-sama saved us. He saved all of us from our horrible lives, including you! This is the least I can do to repay him! Don't you agree?"

Zakun's red orbs narrowed, but his blank expression did not change, "Byakuran did not save us. All he did was move us from one hell to another, the second being less so. The only reason he saved us to begin with was so he could use us as pawns in his little game. If anything, you should hate the man that played you like a puppet."

"You of all people should understand. You'll regret not coming to my side!" Kikyo stepped back, falling off the ledge and towards the darkness below. A man dressed in all white appeared infront of the machine, pushing the correct buttons that would activate the machine. Both him and Kikyo began to glow before vanishing into thin air.

Two hands landed on my shoulders and I glanced behind me, surprised to see Rorian there. "This is an illusion I created within your mind. This is what happened, and how we found out. Zakun came to us a little later and explained the situation. You can gather the rest, I'm sure."

The illusion faded to be replaced by a forest scene. Behind me was a large, thick forest with trees atleast eighteen feet tall. Infront of me was a waterfall which fell into a small stream. Various rocks and flowers were visible in the lush green grass surrounding the stream. The water was crystal clear, allowing me to see the fish swimming happily through it. It was a beautiful sight.

Rorian walked over and sat down on one of the larger rocks, his leg crossed over the other with his hands clasped around his knee, "Kikyo knows Byakuran used him, but he doesn't care. His loyalty to my brother is so strong, it doesn't matter what he's done. That kind of loyalty is dangerous, especially when it's for a man like Byakuran."

"I can understand that." I murmured, stuffing my hands into the pockets of my jeans and walking to the edge of the water, bending down and watching as the fish swam around without a care in the world.

Silence fell over us, accompanied by the fish splashing around, and the rushing of the waterfall. My hand slowly slipped into the cold water and I raised an eyebrow. It truely was incredible how realistic illusions could be.

"Do you know where the ring is?" he questioned, breaking the silence.

I glanced at him before returning to the fish who were brushing against my fingers as they swam past, "Basically."

"Get it before the guardians wake up. Leave the house and head to the park where we first met. Zakun will be waiting for you. He'll be assisting you in the search for the final fire guardian. We're counting on you." His voice faded towards the end and the scene slowly disappeared until I was completely surrounded by darkness.

**!#!**

My eyes snapped open, seeing the bright red **3:40am** on the alarm clock sitting on the bedside table. I pushed myself up with a groan, my hand on my pounding head. I didn't know why, but everytime I got mind raped, it always gave me such a headache afterwards. That's how it was with both Mukuro and Viper. It was **not** a good feeling, and Mukuro was known for it.

Grumbling under my breath, I slid out of the bed, slipping into my sneakers and grabbing my hoodie. All of the lights inside the house were out, and everyone inside was asleep. The lights were on outside, and there were several guards patrolling the grounds and gate. They were low level officers, easy to get past.

I snuck down the hallway with ease, slipping into Giotto's unlocked office; that man was _far_ too trusting. The room was dark, but I could see enough to get over to the desk without tripping thanks to the bright moonlight that shone in through the large row of windows behind his desk. I didn't know if the ring was actually _in_ the desk or not, but it was the obvious place to look first. Knowing Giotto, he wouldn't have hid it.

Sliding the top drawer open, my hand felt around inside but came up short. Things that he'd use on a daily basis, such as paper and pens, were in the top drawer for quick and easy access. With that in mind, the ring would most likely be in the bottom drawer.

"Aha!" I whispered when my fingers made contact with the cold metal. I pulled it out and my own ring grew warm from underneath my shirt, glowing faintly, like a flame on a candle about to blow out. The ring between my fingers did the same, almost as if they were resonating with one another. Tsuna and Byakuran's ring had done it, but didn't that only work when a large amount of flames were being emitted from both rings? Only the sky rings should be able to pull that off, anyway.

"What the hell?" I muttered, staring at the glowing ring in my hand.

Footsteps echoed out in the hall and I cursed, quickly closing the drawer. The door was obviously out, so I had but one option: the Window. Tucking the still glowing ring into the pocket of my hoodie, I proceeded to open the middle window in the horizontal row of five. Crouching down with my feet on the sill, I bent down as low as I could manage before pushing off my feet and jumping from the sill to the sky.

The Primo's office was directly across from the gate. The front door of the house, all the way to the black gate, measured about two and a half limousines in width. If I would of been on the third floor, the jump would of been easy. However, Giotto's office was located on the second floor, making the jump that much harder. It wasn't impossible, but it was difficult and slightly painful.

I got lucky. Fate must of been smiling down on me (or maybe it was the teeny weeny speck of Irish Heritage in my history) because I managed to land right ontop of the gate. My feet definately felt the impact, but it was nothing I couldn't handle.

Before jumping down, I looked over my shoulder towards the office window. The silhouette of the person was visible but, due to the distance and poor lighting, it was impossible to tell who it was.

The shouting of the guards alerted me. Looking down, I saw them running towards me, guns drawn as they attempted to shoot me down. Just as I was about to jump away, a bullet grazed my cheek. I scowled, glaring at the black clad men before taking off down the street. It didn't take long for their yells to be lost in the distance. Now that one problem was out of the way, I realized I had another; I had found the park by chance, and had no clue how to get back there.

My cellphone - which I had forgotten I even had - vibrated in my back pocket. I blinked in surprise, pulling it out. If you sent a text message to someone in a different time period, would they get it? My question went unanswered; the number attached to the text wasn't familiar. I shrugged and clicked the 'ok' button.

» _This is Salmon. I figured you'd get lost again, since you're not familiar with the area, so I decided to send you the directions to the park. Open your GPS, please. I'm going to hack your phone :)_

I closed the message and pulled up the GPS. The screen went black, making an odd fuzzy noise before returning to normal. Words flew into the search box, too fast for me to make them out, and the screen switched, giving me directions from the spot I currently stood straight to the park. I whistled, making a mental note to ask him how he did that. Did they even have GPS in this era? I had no clue.

When I finally made it to the park, Zakun was standing against one of the trees, his eyes closed and arms crossed. He didn't look angry or annoyed for having to wait, he just looked calm. When I got close to him, both of the rings began to glow brighter than before, growing even more warm (I hadn't even realized they had stopped glowing). I noticed Zakun's ring glowing, as well.

His red eyes opened slowly and he pushed away from the tree, moving towards me; the closer he got, the less the ring glowed until, finally, it stopped altogether. His eyes strayed from my own down to my cheek and he lifted his hand up, brushing against the sensitive flesh. I hissed as a strong stinging sensation erupted through the left side of my face; I had forgotten about the wound. The tips of Zakun's fingers were caked in blood when he pulled back. How had I missed that?

"What happened?" he asked, his voice devoid of any emotion. His eyes were staring into my own, as if watching for any lies I may tell.

"The guards." I scowled, looking away from him. There was something about his penetrating gaze... it made me uncomfortable. "It's just a scratch, not a big deal." Zakun began towards me and I backed away from him, my eyes narrowed in suspicion, "O-Oi...!" He ignored me, grabbing my chin in his hand and turning my head to the right. He leaned in, his tongue running from my chin all the way up to the wound. My eyes widened and I tried to pull away but I was too flustered to gather up enough strength. Zakun continued until he had licked away all of the blood.

Finally regaining my senses, I managed to push him away, wiping my cheek with the back of my hand, "What the **hell** are you doing!"

"Cleaning the wound." he answered simply, like it was a normal thing.

"There are other ways of doing that!" I growled, rubbing my cheek furiously with my hoodie. Great, now I had Zakun germs...

"You're going to make it bleed again."

"Shut up!"

He shrugged, turning around and walking away. As much as I _didn't _want to, I followed behind him, staying atleast five feet back while attempting to burn holes into his back. Maybe, just maybe, if I stared at him long enough, he'd burst into flames. Yes, that was highly unlikely, but I could dream, couldn't I?

* * *

**.: Questions :.**

**Q) What about an Earth Guardian?**

**A) **That is a good suggestion. However, There are two types of flames: Flames of the Sky (those belonging to Vongola) and Flames of the Earth (Rival to the Sky and trademark of the Shimon Family). Since Jay is a member of the Vongola, and the Gardiano Family is protecting them, they have the Flames of Sky. Fire would more likely fit into that category, opposed to Earth.

**Q) Did Spade happen to overhear part of Sylvian and Jay's conversation?**

**A) **No, he didn't. The timing was off, and he didn't manage to catch anything that they were saying.


End file.
